Heat exchange apparatus



Jlyl, 1947. J. A. CHURCHILL Erm.

HEAT EXHANG'E APPARATUS 4 Sheets-S5991'. 1

Filed NOV. 29, 1944 .///////N,// I Q.

arr-afp Nef July 1, 1947- J. A. CHURCHILL x-:TAL 2,423,175

y' mm BXGHANGEAPPARATUS Filed Nov. 29, 1944 sheets-sheet 2` I f July'l, 1,947.

'.J. A. CHURCHILL ETAL HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS Filed NOV. 29. 1944 4'Sheets-Sheet 4 c 3 turn to the main air stream without producing harmful and disturbing currents.

It is to be understood that the plate heat exchange apparatus above described may be constructed in segments adapted to be detachably secured together in any convenient manner thereby facilitating removal, repairs or replacements be passed through the radiator so as to bel cooled by air also passed through the radiator.

An annular radiator block or matrix is disposed between inner and outer conical cowlings or fairings 2| and 22, respectively, in a manner substantially similar to that shown in Fig. 2 with reference to the matrix 5 and cowlings 3 and I3. Two annular header tanks 23, 24 are disposed, substantially concentrically, on the .front end o1 thematrix and outside the outer cowling 22, and similarly two annular header tanks 25, 25 are disposed, also substantially concentrically, on the rear end of the matrix and inside the inner cowling 2|.

The matrix comprises two series 21, 28 of nests of U-shaped passages. Each nest of passages is contained in a rhomboidal envelope 28, and the envelopes of the series 21 alternate with the envelopes of the series 28, each adjacent envelope being separated by corrugated or other plates 30 adapted to ,form passages 3| between said envelopes, as shown diagrammatically in Figs. 7 and 10. The U-shaped passages in each nest v21, 28 are disposed with their legs substantially parallel to the axis of the matrix. las shown in Fig. 4. The open ends 32 of the legs 33 of the tubes 21 are connected and open to the rear header tanks 25. 26, one leg to the header tank 26 and the other leg to the header tank 26, and with the base 34 of the U by which the two legs `33 are connected together arranged substantial# ly radially of the matrix and in proximity to the outer conical cowling 22 remote from the said header tanks 25, 26, the arrangement being such that fluid may ow from one header tank 26 across the matrix through a U-shaped passage 21 and back to the companion header tank 25, the U-shaped passage 21 being disposed in a plane radially oi' the matrix. Similarly, the open ends 35 of the legs 36 of the passages 28 are connected and open to the front header tanks 23, 24, the U-base 31 of each passage being disposed adjacent the inner cowling 2|; thereby, fluid may flow from header tank 24, across the matrix through the U-shaped passages 28 and back to the header tank 23.

The passages 3| formed by the plates 30 are disposed conically of the matrix 20, as shown in Fig. 8.

Water is led from the engine and is fed to the rear header tank 26 through inlet 38; it circulates -vthrough the nests of passages 21 and back to the header tank 25, whence it passes out through outlet 39 and back to the engine.

Oil is led from the engine and is fed tothe front header tank 24; it circulates through the nests of passages 28 and back to the header tank v23 whence it passes back to the engine.

When the radiator is applied to an aircraft engine, and it is disposed in front of the enaire gine concentrically with the propeller shaft, it will be desirable that the conduits by which oil is transferred between the engine and the for ward header tanks 23, 24 of the radiator should not interfere with the air flow through the cool ing medium passage 58, hereinafter referred te. and associated parts o! the aircraft. Preferably. therefore, two transfer boxes 4|), 4| (Fig. 5) are disposed in the matrix, each substantially rhomboidal in shape, and in substantially similar positions to the' nests of passages 21, 28, that is. in planes radially of the matrix.

The transfer boxes 48, 4| are preferably disposed side by side, and are eachl provided at the rear end with avport for connecting them to the oil system of the engine; for example, the oil inlet transfer box 48 is provided with a port 42 to which a pipe adapted to lead oil from the en gine is connected, whilst the oil outlet transfer box 4| is provided' with a port 43 to which a pipe adapted to lead oil back to the engine is connected..v The transfer box 40 is provided at its forward end with a port 44 leading to the forward inlet header tank 24,but the said transfer 'box` is blanked oi at 45'from the outlet header tank 23. Similarly, the transfer box 4| is connected to the outlet header tank 23 but is blanked oif from the inlet header tank 24. Each transfer box may be provided with longitudinal partitions 46 adapted to divide the box into a plurality of passages 41; said partitions may be formed by a corrugated plate disposed in the transfer box. By so providing the two transfer boxes 40, 4| the means for passing the oil to and from the forward header tanks are dis- A posed within the matrix 20.

The passages 21, or 28 in a nest thereof may be disposed as shown diagrammatically in Fig. Fig. 4, with one U-shaped passage disposed between the legs of another so that they are disposed in one plane radially of the matrix in order to form a closely packed nest. The nest of passages may be formed within the rhomboidal envelope 29 by corrugated or otherwise shaped plates so as to space the sides of the envelope apart and form the said passages. The spacing plates may be disposed with the corrugations or ribs running longitudinally of the envelope with the exception of a triangular portion at one end wherein lthe corrugations are disposed transversely of the envelope, the effect being that each U-shaped passage is formed by two longitudinal corrugations, one at each side of the centre line of the envelope, and a transverse corrugation at one end of the envelope, the open endsof the said passages being disposed at the other end lof the envelope. which latter end is open to the associated header tanks,

It will be obvious that leach nest ofv passages may be otherwise suitably formed, for example, each U-shaped passage therein may be provided by an appropriately shaped tube, the tubes being held together to form anest by conical gills or other means which may separate adjacent nests.

Whilst the form of device diagrammatically il lustrated in Figs. 4 to 9 is provided with nests of passages 21 alternating with nests of passages 28, they may be arranged in any other suitable manner, for example, there may be two nests of water passages 21 disposed between adjacent nests of oil passages 28.

The radiator may be formed in two or more segments, for example as shown in Fig.4 5, two semi-annular segments v48, ,49, to facilitate removal from or assembly on the front of the engine, the adjacent ends of the segments forming bulkheads 50, l between the segments. Each segment may form a separate radiator, or they may be connected together to form one complete radiator. For example, the engine oil may be passed from the engine to the segment 48 by way of the port 42 and the transfer box 40,'thence to the forward inlet header tank 24, through the nests of passages 28 in the matrix 20 back to the forward outletr header tank 23. in that segment. Atransfer pipe 52 (Fig. 6) is disposed at the forward end of the matrix across the bulkhead 50 and connects port members 53, 54 to each other;

port member 53 is connected to the inlet header tank 24 in segment 48, and the port member. 54 is connected to the inlet header tank 24 in segment 49; similarly,the outlet header tanks 23 in the two segments 48, 49 are connected to each other by port members 55, 56 and transfer pipe 51. Thereby oil is transferred from the header tanks in one segment 48 to the corresponding header tanksin segment 49. The oil then passes from forward inlet header tank 24 in the segment 49 by way of the nests of passages 28 in said segment to the associated forward outlet header tank 23, thence to the transfer box 4| and by way of the port 43 to the conduit for return to the engine.

The water from the engine may be passed in two separate streams, one each segment being provided with inlet ports 38 and outlet ports 39 to the rear header tanks 26, 25, respectively, so that each segment is a separate radiator with regard to water. Thereby, the oil ilow will be in series through the two segments, whilst the water ow will be in parallel.

Air for cooling the water and oil in the nests of passages 21 and 28 will pass through the matrix in a manner similar to that described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3; that is, the air will pass through the conical passage 58, formed between the cowlings 2l and 22, in the direction of the arrows 59 and in a substantially conical and expanding manner.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

1. Annular heat exchange apparatus comprisl ing an annular cylindrical matrix, a frusto-conical cowling at each axial end of said matrix with the smaller ends of the two said cowlings facing the same axial direction, the said cowlings dening a passage through the matrix for cooling lmedium which radiates from the axis ofthe matrix and progresses axially thereof the said passage being open on the inner and outer peripheries of said matrix, two annular header tanks disposed on each of said cowlings and on the side of said cowlings outwardly of said matrix,

'passages in said matrix for uid to be cooled, said passages being disposed in cylindrical formation about the axis of said matrix, each of said to each segment 48, 49,

one series being open at its ends to the said two header tanks disposed on said cowling, the ends of another series of said passages being disposed in the other of said cowlings and each of said passages of said other series being open at its ends to the'said two header tanks disposed on `said other cowling, means for. admitting fluid to be cooled to one header tank of each pair thereof mounted on each cowling, and means for withdrawing cooled iluid from the other header tank of each of said pairs thereof.

2. Annular heat exchange apparatus, according ing to claim 1, wherein groups of said one series oi said U-shaped passages alternate around the said matrix with groups of said other series of said U-shaped passages. i

. 3. Annular heat exchange apparatus, according vto claim 1, wherein plates are disposed between said cowlings and in said matrix to form spacing members so as to separate=groups of said U- shaped passages from each other around the passages being tubular and substantially ofv U- shape arid being wholly disposed substantially in one plane radially of the matrix, the ends of one series of said passages being disposed in one of said cowlings and each -of said passages in said file of. this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,171,817 Wagner et al. Sept. 5, 1939 2,111,534 Karmazin Mar. 15, 1938 1,872,785 Modine Aug. 23, 1932 1,712,622 Kruckenberg et al. May 14, 1929 1,803,156 Wagner Apr. 28, 1931 1,440,217 Flood Dec. 26, 1922 V2,230,739 Bellanca Feb. 4, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number s Country Date 42,477 France July 31, 1933 407,530 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1934 299,725 Germany Sept. 13, 1919 matrix and' to divide said passage for cooling medium into a plurality of smaller passagesr 4. Annular heat exchange apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein two fluid transfer chambers are disposed within the matrix, each of said transfer chambers having one end disposed in one of said cowlings and being provided with a port at that end, the said port of one transfer chamber being adapted for admitting fluid to be cooled to said chamber.' the said port of the other transfer chamber being adapted to allow cooled uid to be withdrawn from said chamber, one of said transfer chambers being connected at its other end to one or the said header tanks disposed on the other o said cowlings and the other of said transfer chambers being connected at its other end to the other of said header tanks disposed on the said other cowling whereby iluid may be transferred from or to one end of said matrix to or from said header tanks at the other end of the matrix.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

